It was a simple gesture.  My wife and I attended a special service of healing at a synagogue.  Nothing to it – we just showed up.  And people thanked us for coming.

It was not that typical, un-meaningful “thanks” that some people say.  It was heartfelt and there was a lot of emotion and gratitude behind the simple word.  I was dumbfounded.  All I did was show up.

Yet that was the point.  You see, the Jews are a people who have been oppressed for thousands of years, even by Christians.  And I am a Christian.  I am a Christian minister.  And I wore my collar.  The symbol of Christian ministry.

I did wear my collar on purpose.  I wanted all to know that Christians stand with Jews, especially after the events of Saturday.

But I never expected the simple “thanks” said by so many members of the synagogue.  A heartfelt “thank you for coming, thank you for supporting us, thank you for standing with us.”

And all I did was show up.

Imagine if I did more.

Imagine if you did more.

Imagine if we all worked together to show solidarity instead of division.

Imagine if we stood with each other instead of against each other.

Imagine if we all loved instead of hated.

Perhaps then we would live the words of Jesus, you know, those words he repeated from the Hebrew Scriptures:  The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”

All I did was show up.

And last night, that was all I had to do.  Show up.  Support.  Love.